You only get one opportunity to make a great first impression.
The truth is this - if a guest family has a bad experience...they will not be back. It doesn't matter if you call them or send them an email...they aren't coming back.
With this in mind, here are 10 things you should never say to a guest family if you want to see them return.
"I don't know."
There is so much finality when you say this. It leaves the guest family with no options and very frustrated.
Instead say, "That's a great question. Let me find out for you."
"It's down that hallway and up the stairs."
You should always walk a guest family to their classroom. You are familiar with the church layout. But your customer is not. Don't frustrate them by making them find a room by themselves. Instead of trying to give them directions, have someone personally walk them there.
Remember - never point with directions...always walk your guest to their room.
We don't have anyone who can help you with that.
I was checking out at a large department store. One of the items did not have a bar code on it, so they couldn't scan it. I asked the cashier if someone could bring another one to the front. She looked around and then said these words, "We can't help you with this - we ain't got nobody."
This was very frustrating on so many levels. I didn't get the item I needed and it was obvious no one had effectively trained their staff about what to do and say in these type of situations.
Don't let a lack of volunteers frustrate guest families. Build your volunteer team so you have enough people to meet the needs of guests.
I'm just a volunteer.
If you don't train and empower your volunteers, they will say this when asked about something they don't know.
Invest in your team members. Show them you value them. Equip them with the information they need to be successful.
If you are truly equipping and empowering your volunteers, guests won't be able to tell the difference between staff and volunteers. Let that be your goal and multiply yourself.
We have a policy about that.
Yes. You can't bend on safety and security rules. But there are some "policies" that you can bend on. Especially if it will benefit your guest.
Remember...people come before policies. Here's a common example of this. A guest family asks if their children could attend the same class even though they are a few years apart. If you value policies more than you do people...you would tell the family that you don't allow this. But could you? Maybe at least for their first visit?
I can't do that.
This can come across as cold hearted. Is this something that you could do, even if it's an inconvenience? This is an opportunity to go the second mile instead of saying "no."
Calm down.
When a guest is upset, the words "calm down" will have the opposite effect. It will escalate the situation. Instead of saying "calm down," take things down a notch by answering with a lower decibel level and say "I understand. Let's work together to resolve this."
That's not my department.
This says, "you are not important enough for me to find out what is happening in another department." One way you can fix this is to give your team a list each week of what is happening in the other departments in the church.
It's not our fault.
Be quick to accept responsibility when there is a glitch or misunderstanding. Interact with a humble spirit with the guests God brings your way. Remember...it's not about who is right or wrong in a situation. It's about helping guests first and foremost. Don't let your pride get in the way of this.
What was your name again?
The sweetest sound to a person is their name. Ask guests for their names and then use their name several times as you interact with them. When you keep asking someone what their name is, it devalues them. Work at being good at remembering names. It will make a difference.
Your turn. What else should you never say to a guest? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
p.s. Have you registered yet for the upcoming online conference? It's going to be about how to have excellent guest services. The kind of service that will help you see more guests return for a second visit.
Here's more info. below. You can register now at this link. When you register, you will also receive my new book "Be Our Church Guest." This book will help you take your guest services to a whole new level.
